Seventh Time Lucky
by Muscarie
Summary: It is said that when Felix Felicis wears off, you have to go through a significant amount of bad luck as the universe balances the odds again. Set in seventh year, a story in which a group of Hufflepuffs' efforts at impressing the DA whilst getting back at the Slytherins has disastrous consequences.
1. Chapter 1 : Felix Felicis

**This is set in seventh year, whilst the Golden Trio are away chasing Horcruxes. It follows the students left in Hogwarts, including Ginny and Neville etc.**

 **There is an OC (because not having Harry, Hermione or Ron there wasn't enough of a risk to my taste), but please don't worry.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter etc, and the OC is made up but her last name, Kettleburn, is not, it is from the universe of Harry Potter and I am picturing her as related to Silvanus Kettleburn, who used to be professor of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts (he is a real charafter). She herself is not in Harry Potter originally.**

 **Please let me know if you enjoy the story, and if you don't, then don't say anything (my poor heart would not take it!) and I'll know ;)**

Chapter 1

"Well," says Amycus Carrow, leering at them from over his greenish, sweaty, wobbly cheeks. "Enough Fiendfyre for today."

The class cringes. There are fifteen minutes yet left to the lesson, which can only mean one thing.

"I've brought you a little treat. You're going to practise the Cruciatus Curse... On little Denny here."

A tiny second year student is beckoned over to the front of the seventh year classroom, where he stands shaking like a lead and looking like he's about to burst into tears.

Emma Kettleburn and the rest of her Hufflepuff table look down at their parchments, pretending to be scribbling a last few notes on Fiendfyre, praying not to get picked.

On a Friday, Dark Arts succeed to Muggle Studies, and that is just about what they can endure before collapsing into the weekend. One Carrow sibling is bad enough, but one after the other? You need a good two days of hiding in your common room to recover.

Emma does not want to get picked. She's already had to endure Alecto Carrow, the professor of Muggle Studies, talking about the sexual bestiality of Muggle men and singling her out as a half blood witch, trying to get her to give anecdotes of times when she'd witnessed Muggle men being pigs. Not getting anywhere with her interrogation, the toad like Death Eater had forcefully extracted a memory from Emma's summer, when some idiots had whistled at her and her sisters on the street and they'd flipped them the fingers in return. It was a one time, isolated incident, but it'd clearly been enough to prove professor Carrow's point. To top it up nicely, Emma now has a raging headache from the forceful extraction.

Emma's father is a Squib, and her mother a muggle. She is the second of four sisters, and the only magical one. Her father, despite his having no magical talent himself, comes from an eminent wizarding family. Emma assumes this is why she has been allowed to return to Hogwarts - she must somehow fall under "half blood" rather than "muggle born" on the Ministry's charts... That or old Bathsheba Kettleburn pulled some strings. Apparently, Emma's paternal grandmother is kind of a big deal amongst pure blood families... And there'd been a Hogwarts professor, at some point. If only poor Justin had been so lucky.

Emma's eyes wander over to where their friend Justin Finch-Fletchley would be sitting, had he not had the misfortune of being muggle born and therefore forbidden from attending his final year. Is he on the run? Is he alive? Is he being his hilarious, posh self somewhere abroad? Oh, she can just picture him-

"Someone from the HuffyPuffy table, Miss Kettleburn, maybe?"

Emma freezes, as dread creeps up her spine. Amycus Carrow is right there in front of her. She can almost hear the dried up foam of spit quivering at the corners of his mouth with each breath he draws.

"Er..."

"Can I have a go, professor? " Someone from the Slytherin table pipes up. She's pretty sure it's Nott.

"That's good effort, Theodore, but you had a go last week, and none of this lot have tried yet. Four weeks into their seventh year, and I'm not sensing a great deal of enthusiasm from the badgers. "

Emma winces. Oh please, if the Slytherin weirdos wants to do it, let them...

"At least they're taking notes," says someone in a strong, confident voice. "I've not even bothered with that."

Emma holds back a chuckle at Neville Longbottom 's obvious provocation. Susan Bones snorts.

"Longbottom," seethes professor Carrow. " You-"

"I mean, I did write the date, then for lesson title I put 'same as last week', then I think I've been trying to draw something... " Neville pretends to flick through his pieces of parchment. "What do you think, Parvati, is that supposed to be like a toad, or a ... ?"

All eyes turn to the Gryffindor table, amused by Neville's antics. The Carrow siblings are so dense they still haven't figured out that Neville always picks up arguments with them when they practise the Unforgivables, to waste lesson time. It works.

Emma, Susan and Ernie are in awe of the Gryffindor. He's so, so brave. Their friend Hannah Abbott, currently retaking her sixth year, will be delighted to hear about this.

Professor Carrow stomps his way over to the Gryffindor table and takes a look at Neville's parchment.

"Incendio!"

The parchment goes up in flames, and Carrow returns to the front of the class, flustered.

"I'll do it myself," he barks, after taking a look at the clock. "Watch." Seven minutes to go.

Carrow raises his wand, and the whole class holds their breath as little Denny begins crying. The Death Eater is about to cast his spell when, just to his left, a piece of parchment lifts off his desk and begins a shaky, awkward journey towards the Gryffindor table, rubbing on the professor's face on the way.

"Oops, sorry, professor," says Neville , wand drawn, tongue out and one eye shut in mock concentration. The class chuckles nervously.

"Longbottom! What are you -!?"

"You burned my parchment, professor. I'm just getting a new one..."

Carrow shoots a ball of Fiendfyre at the parchment, and Neville laments, loud enough for all to hear: "oh, now I've got to start again..."

Another piece of parchment flies off the desk and this time reaches Neville at record speed.

"Got it!"

" Shut up! "

"Sorry, professor. Continue."

"Damn Longbottom... Where were we..."

" Damn Longbottom... " whispers Neville, far too audibly, as his quill noisily scratches across his fresh piece of parchment. "Where were we..."

The class laughs.

"Denny, out!" Shouts professor Carrow. "And YOU, Longbottom!"

" Gotta go! "

Neville bolts out the door as the clock strikes three, signalling the end of the lesson and the start of the weekend.

All students, even the Slytherins, gather their things and leave the room as fast as they can. Rough and rougher duo Grabbe and Goyle join in, lured away from the sweet prospect of torturing a child by the even sweeter prospect of patrolling corridors over the weekend. All the arseholes have been made prefects, this year.

"Ladies," says Ernie in his usual, slightly pompous manner, as he catches up to Emma and Hannah, who has emerged from a Transfiguration classroom. Susan is chatting happily with Parvati Patil, just ahead of them. "Looking forward to the game tomorrow,are we not? Slytherin versus Gryffindor... Should be a great game. Heard Ginny Weasley is going to play seeker, now Potter's away. "

"Cool!" Hannah's eyes are full of stars. "She's so cool..."

"I'm probably going to give it a miss," says Emma, quietly, because Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini from Slytherin are walking rather close to them. "It'll probably be rigged, so Slytherin wins..."

"You're not that into Quidditch anyway, though, are you, Emma?" Asks Hannah .

"I am! Well... I mean, I always go when Hufflepuff are playing..."

"I just go and support whoever is not Slytherin," says Susan from above her own shoulder.

"I just feel like hiding in the common room after this week..."

" Yeah, she always picks on you, doesn't she, the she-Carrow."

"They're just vile."

" Who? " asks Zacharias Smith, appearing from a side corridor.

"The Carrows," replies Emma in as low a voice as possible, because they've all reached the Hall now and Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students have left for their towers, leaving Slytherin and Hufflepuff to make their way towards kitchens and dungeons, respectively. Nott and Zabini are still a bit too close for comfort.

"Oh yeah," agrees Zacharias, "They're the stuff of nightmares. Do you know what, I reckon they're like...together."

"Ew!" Squeals Hannah .

"Thanks for the image, old boy," says Ernie.

"I reckon they might find each other's repulsiveness attractive."

"His spit foam..." Lists Emma . " Her sweat moustache... "

Someone snorts from behind them, and the Hufflepuffs turn to see Nott looking away, and Zabini glaring at them. Without a word, the Slytherins storm past them and down the steps to their dungeons.

"These two are the worst," says Ernie. "Though Grabbe and Goyle are pretty awful. "

"He volunteered," shivers Emma, watching the space where the tall, sharp figure of Theodore Nott stood just moments before. "He always volunteers to torture the kids."

This, however, reminds Emma to tell Hannah of what Neville Longbottom did during the class, and no other topic gets discussed until well after dinner.

"He is so brave," Hannah repeats for the umpteenth time, later that evening as the three girls are sitting on their beds in their dormitory. There used to be a fourth girl, Jane Jones, but she is a muggle born, and she hasn't returned after the summer holidays. "He just stands up to them, just like that!" Hannah is fiddling with a gold coin. " I wonder when there will be another DA meeting... "

"Missing him already?" teases Emma.

"There's not going to be any meetings, surely," says Susan. "Not with everything that's happening. Harry's not there, neither are Ron and Hermione, and I mean with all the Death Eaters and the Slytherins and Snape...it'd be suicide, don't you think? "

Emma agrees with Susan, even though she's got to admit that she, too, misses Dumbledore's Army.

"Neville might pick it up?" She suggests, not wanting to crush Hannah's good mood.

"He might," Susan buts in, "but he's no Harry Potter. "

"Still, it's inspiring, don't you think? I wish I were that brave." Hannah looks up at the ceiling, voicing her thoughts aloud . "I wish there was some way to get back at them, somehow. Like, something that would piss them off, benefit us... Something that would make us feel like we're winning, for once. "

"I'd love to get my magazines back," says Susan . "You know, the ones that Pansy Parkinson confiscated on the train?"

"That's it!" shrieks Hannah, her blond hair flying as she whips her head round to face Susan. "We could get our stuff back! Steal it back from them!"

"We can't just walk into the Slytherin dungeons and just casually get my magazines back...anyway, Pansy would know straight away that it was me. "

"We could get everyone's stuff back! Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor...All the stuff confiscated by Slytherin! They wouldn't know who to accuse! That would help the DA-"

" Alright, well, that still doesn't change the fact that we can't just walk in -"

" Slytherin are playing tomorrow, though, their common room will be empty -"

"We don't know that, and getting caught trying to figure out the stupid password-"

Emma watches her two friends bicker, amused. Hannah is tall and blond, with a long face, and Susan is short, red headed and round faced. One is talkative and easily excited, the other is stern and sensible.

"We'd need luck," says Emma , thinking of her own muggle pens, taken away from her on day 2. She hates quills. "Have we still got that empty bottle of Felix Felicis Jane picked up last year?"

They find the bottle in Jane's otherwise deserted bedside table. It is the bottle Harry Potter won the year before, and it's been finished then discarded by members of the DA at the end of the summer term. Jane found it on the floor. The girls reckon you can still get a good drop out of it. Not enough for three, but maybe for one, for a short amount of time...40 minutes, perhaps...

In an uncharacteristic bout of bravery, Emma volunteers.

The next day, Susan and Hannah join the rest of Hogwarts as they head for the Quidditch pitch, leaving Emma behind.

The young witch gets about two drops out of the empty bottle, sticking her little finger inside to collect every little bit of liquid gold. Nothing seems to happen at first, and she's about to call it a day when her mind and heart fill with a sense of calm, content, and confidence, and the world seems bright and endless. Getting inside the Slytherin dungeons and retrieving all the DA's confiscated items? Easy peasy. Probably didn't even need luck potion for that. In fact, she's just going to head down there right now. She'll just knock on the door, that seems like the right thing to do.

Emma picks up her bag and makes her way to the entrance of the Slytherin common room, encountering nobody at all. Pleased with herself, and with the world in general, she confidently knocks on the wall where she knows the door is concealed. When nothing happens, Emma assumes that no one is in, and she tries the door knob that kindly appears for her. The door materialises from the stone then opens, from the inside, and Theodore Nott stands in front of her, peering down down at her with a surprised look on his face.

Emma calmly details his appearance. He's tall, with high and sharp cheekbones and a pointy chin. He's got dark brown eyes and hair, sleeked back on his head. He's got thin lips, and she's never really seen him smile.

"Hi," she greets him, like it's completely normal for her to be there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm Emma."

"I know, what are you doing here?"

"I was..." She looks around, searching for an excuse, but the luck potion tells her to just be honest with the pure blooded Slytherin. "To be honest, I was trying to get in, because I wanted to get my pen back."

" What?" he blinks.

"My pen. My fountain pen, it's kind of like a quill but way more practical. Vincent Grabbe confiscated it from me, and I'm pretty sure it's in here."

He blinks again, his eyes sweeping over her face, probably trying to work out whether she is pulling his leg or just plain crazy.

"So you just...came here."

" Yep. "

"You knocked on the door, and tried to open it."

" I did, yes. "

"You need a password to enter," he informs her, with something of a smile now forming at the corner of his lips.

" Ah...so...what's the password, then? " Felix Felicis makes Emma give Theodore Nott a wide, dazzling smile, and wriggle her eyebrows at him. "Is it... 'please' ?"

Now smiling openly, Nott rubs his face with a long, pale hand and leans over to check that there's no one around. Having confirmed the absence of witnesses, he seems to falter, weighing his options. Eventually, he steps back, opening the door a little wider and gesturing for her to come in.

Emma smiles even brighter, entering this serpent's lair with no fear at all. The room is dark, decorated with stone and wood carvings, lit by green lanterns, and its tall windows give onto what appears to be the bottom of the Lake.

"There's no one here," says Nott. "They're all at the game."

"Is that a mermaid?"

Emma excitedly rushes to try and catch another glimpse of the magical creature which just swam past the windows.

"Yes. We see the Giant Squid, sometimes."

"Really? That's so cool. We just see the odd rabbit... My friend Hannah once said a unicorn came close to the windows."

Nott walks towards a great wardrobe, opening it to reveal shelves covered with a wide variety of objects, all confiscated by Slytherin prefects since the beginning of the year.

Standing beside him, Emma recognises her pen, still there. She picks it up, checking it over.

"So that's your...pen?"

"It is. My mum got it for me for my seventeenth birthday."

"You know you're not allowed this in school, don't you?"

"It's a fountain pen," she explains, and his brows furrow in confusion. "It writes like a quill, the teachers can't tell the difference."

After a quick internal debate, Felix Felicis wins and Emma decides to push her luck. She puts a hand on the wardrobe doors just as Nott is about to shut them, and peers inside with feigned curiosity.

"Wow, there's a lot of stuff in there isn't there... That's my friend Susan's magazines, can I take those too? For her? Oh and here's Parvati Patil's sneakcoscope... And Ginny Weasley's Pygmy Puff, now, that's a living creature, you can't just leave it in a cupboard to die..." She's stuffing her bag as she speaks.

"Pansy's been feeding it...what are you doing?"

Shouldering her bag, now full of all the objects and treasures that were previously in the wardrobe, Emma looks back at him with wide eyes.

"Just... Taking the lot?" She begins scurrying away.

"Taking- wait, no, they'll notice- wait!"

He catches up to her as she's about to reach the door to the common room.

"You can't just take everything."

And then Felix makes Emma do something completely insane, completely unnatural, completely out of character, and yet devastatingly effective... She stands on her tiptoes and places one hand on his hollow cheek as well as a five second long kiss just at the corner of his mouth. As she falls back on her heels, Emma sees that Nott is completely stunned, staring at her with a somewhat fearful and awed expression.

"Tell them you were at the library," she suggests. "We can say we were there together?"

"They won't- they-"

"I owe you. You can trust me, I'm a Hufflepuff. I'm loyal. Thank you, Theo."

And with that, Emma leaves the Slytherin common room. She feels like she's winning.

It is said that when Felix Felicis wears off, you have to go through a significant amount of bad luck as the universe balances the odds again. Emma is about to find this out the hard way.


	2. Chapter 2 : Balancing the Odds

**Thank you for reading, and thank you especially to the lovely person who reviewed :)**

 **Disclaimer still applies, see chapter 1.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

Emma's bad luck catches up to her on the Sunday morning, when she gets escorted out of breakfast by none other than Alecto Carrow.

Their corner of the Hufflepuff table is positively buzzing as they discuss the sheer joy of having somehow pulled off what feels like the heist of the century. They keep glancing at the Slytherin table, trying to determine whether they've realised yet. Emma catches the eye of Theodore Nott, once, but he looks away without giving any sign that something happened the day before.

"But he just let you walk away?" Asks Susan again, ever the voice of wisdom. "He just showed you the stuff, and let you walk away?"

"Yes! That luck potion must have been really potent, I mean there wasn't a lot of it but maybe it goes stronger with age..."

"Maybe he fancies you," says Ernie. "Imagine," he shivers, "being fancied by that weirdo." Him and Hannah both chuckle, but Susan and Zacharias look more concerned than amused.

"It's not funny," Susan chastisises. "His dad is a Death Eater, and Slytherins never do things for free."

"Oh we need to let Ginny and Neville know," says Hannah, oblivious. "They'll be so impressed!"

"We need to hide the stuff is what we need to do-"

"Kettleburn."

Something heavy and warm falls on Emma's shoulder, interrupting Susan. Emma turns to see Alecto Carrow's hand on her.

"Follow me."

"Me?"

"You."

"W-where?"

"To the Headteacher's office."

Slowly, as if hoping that she will wake up any second and realise none of this has happened, Emma stands up. Her eyes briefly meet her friends's, praying that they will somehow manage to hide everything safely before the Carrows inevitably request to search her dorm.

Following Alecto, Emma notices that quite a few students are watching, including Ginny and Neville. So much for impressing them... She throws one quick look over her shoulder and locks eyes for the briefest moment with Theodore Nott, over at the Slytherin table. His face is unreadable. Did he tell on her? And why wouldn't he? What the hell was she thinking, just walking in, and giving him a peck on the cheek like some pre-teen tease? She's never taking that shitting potion again!

They go up the many stairs towards where used to be Professor Dumbledore's office, and Emma starts getting seriously worried. They'll give her a detention, at least, and she'll get tortured by Amycus Carrow... or maybe they'll have the whole class torture her. She might get expelled. Or what if they decide that actually, she's muggle born, not half blood? Azkaban! She'll go to Azkaban for a bleeding pen!

Just calm down, says a voice in her head, sounding remarkably like Susan's. This might be about something completely different, don't say anything until you know what it's about.

He probably told on me.

Deny it.

It's his word against mine, and he's pure blood...

Just play dumb.

I feel bloody dumb.

"Snape," says Alecto, as the two of them enter the Headteacher's office. "Here she is, the little thief."

Ah. So much for let's wait and see what it's about...! Can I panic, now?

Professor Snape looks up from the pile of parchments on his desk, and his cool, black eyes meet hers. Emma hastily looks down. Amycus Carrow is sitting in an armchair opposite the great desk. He, too, is staring at her.

"Where are they?" He blurts out, like he cannot control himself. Bits of spit come out his mouth and land on the stone floor, by Emma's feet. "Where did you put all the-"

"Silence, Amycus," says the headteacher.

Emma is terrified of him. This is the man who killed Albus Dumbledore. He might as well have murdered Merlin himself, to Emma's eyes. Dumbledore had been good. Emma has been in his office, once, as a tearful and quiet first year, brought in by Professor Sprout, and professor Dumbledore had given her a very kind smile and he'd promised her that the Slytherin boys giving her trouble were never going to come her way again.

"Do you know why you're here?" Snape asks her, snapping Emma back to reality.

"No, sir."

Snape narrows his eyes at her, then sighs with what sounds like extreme boredom.

"Bring in the prefects."

To Emma's utter horror, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini walk into the office from a side room.

"You're here," says Snape, as the two Slytherins plant themselves on either side of him and glare at Emma with as much contempt as humanly possible. "Because you are suspected of breaking into the Slytherin common room yesterday afternoon during the quidditch game, and of stealing approximately fourteen confiscated items." He watches her intently. "Well?"

"I-I don't-why am I being suspected?"

"On Friday I heard you say you weren't going to go to the game," says Blaise Zabini. "No one else was in the castle at the time."

"H-how do you know?"

"He said he heard you on Friday, you-"

"No, I mean," Emma cuts across Pansy, "how do you know I was the only one in the castle? And how could I break into the Slytherin common room?" This is her hope, and she clings on. Staring at the headteacher, meeting his stare head on, she declares: "I swear I didn't break into the Slytherin common room."

The Occlumens nods slowly, but Pansy Parkinson is not so easily deterred.

"But you did go in there, though? You did take the stuff?"

"I didn't- I-"

"You weren't in the Slytherin common room?" Under the Occlumens' all knowing eyes, Emma has no choice but to let out some truth.

"I-I was- but I-"

"Snape, why are we wasting time? Let's just get the answer out of her."

Amycus's wand rises, and Emma's heart makes quick leaps in her ribcage, like a rabbit trapped in a net. She winces, as he professor opens his mouth to cast the cruciatus curse...

Knock, knock, knock.

They all nearly jump out of their skin when someone knocks on the door, and Snape shouts back: "enter."

Theo Nott appears at the door, looking somewhat flustered. As flustered as pale, somber aristocrats do, anyway. He walks into the office and takes himself to stand next to Emma, blocking the path for Amycus' wand.

"Theodore," says Snape. "What brings you here?"

"What is she being accused of?"

"That is unfortunately none of your-"

"Is this about the things that went missing yesterday? She didn't take anything." Says the young wizard. "I can guarantee it, I was there."

"She's already admitted to being in the Slytherin common room," says Alecto.

Theo nods, letting nothing show.

"She was, but she was with me the entire time. I let her in. She didn't take anything."

"And what," Snape starts, in a dangerously calm voice, "could you possibly have been thinking, letting a student from another house enter your common room?"

"That is unfortunately none of your concern, professor, with all due respect. She's my girlfriend."

Despite her best efforts, Emma's eyebrows shoot up into her hairline, a gesture which does not go unnoticed by Snape, who narrows his eyes so much they nearly disappear.

"She's your what?"

"My girlfriend, Blaise. Surely you've heard of the concept."

"She's not. Since when?"

"Since last year."

"You never said a thing."

"It's none of your concern."

"I don't buy it."

"Are you his girlfriend?" Pansy asks Emma directly.

"Yes." This is...genius! Awful, but genius. "We got together last year, in muggle studies."

Nott had been one of the only Slytherins to take muggle studies before it was made compulsory, afte being forced to do so by professor Mc Gonnagall who'd heard him slurring about muggles a few years before.

"And no one knows. That's just ridiculous."

"I didn't want anyone to know," Emma says, getting carried away with the lie. "I was embarrassed. My friends wouldn't understand that I'd want to be with... With a Slytherin."

Alecto scoffs loudly.

"Silly girl, you would be so fortunate, this is the heir to the house of Nott! A pure blood wizard of impeccable breeding, you are very lucky he so much as threw a look in your direction, you half blood, HuffyPuffy bimbo! Embarrassed indeed...!"

"I just don't believe it," says Pansy. "He'd never go out with a Hufflepuff, anyway."

"He did always fancy her," whispers Blaise Zabini.

"This is a waste of my time," Snape declares. "Mr Nott, you know this kind of activities are forbidden on school grounds. What if a pregnancy were to result from your indiscretions?"

"That's not-we didn't-" Snape silences Emma with one raised hand.

"Professor, she still must have taken our things!" Cries Pansy. "Search her dorm, at least!"

"Alecto, Amycus, handle this."

The next thing she knows, Emma is being escorted all the way back down to the Hufflepuff quarters by no less than five Slytherins.

"Are you serious, Theo?" Whispers Blaise a few times. "Are you actually serious?"

Feeling humiliated, Emma walks them to the barrels concealing the common room's entrance. Everyone stares at them on the way, probably wondering who she is - she's never been a rebel, nor top of the class. The most notable thing she's ever done was joining the DA back in fifth year, and even then, most people didn't know about her. She wasn't even with the DA the day they got caught by Umbridge - she was in bed with a sore stomach for eating too much chocolate.

Emma taps the code to the common room, and it opens, letting her and her sinister escort in.

The few Hufflepuffs gathered there stand in alarm at the sight of the Slytherins, but remain where they are when they notice the teachers. Susan and Hannah aren't there.

"Let's search her dorm," says Pansy, looking around like she's just accidentally walked into a pigsty.

They enter Emma's dorm, also empty, and Amycus Carrow gets carried away once again as he starts emptying the nearest bedside table, not bothering to use magic. Emma holds her breath. Unless Hannah and Susan have moved it all, everything is still inside Jane's drawers.

"Allow me, professor," says Blaise Zabini, eyeing the distasteful display. "Accio confiscated items."

For a moment, nothing happens. Nothing comes out of Jane's abandoned drawers. But then, something starts tapping, making the little table by Emma's bed rattle and shake, until professor Carrow opens the little door and something flies off to land in Blaise Zabini's open palm. Emma's pen.

"Ha!" Exclaims Alecto Carrow.

"That's one of the things." Says Zabini, holding it with disgust. "Some muggle ink stick."

"I gave her that." Everyone turns to stare at Nott. "That's called a fountain pen, and it's special to her. Her mother got it for her, for her birthday. I gave it back to her. She didn't take it."

This declaration is met by a stunned silence, eventually broken by Pansy's nervous chuckle.

"Merlin's tits, Nott, what is she giving you, the mudblood?"

"She's a half blood," snaps Nott, in an uncharacteristic show of emotion. "And don't you speak about my girlfriend like that, or I'll hex you."

Zabini whistles.

Everything sort of fades from Emma's conscious mind, after that, because all of the Slytherins and the teachers leave, talking about searching Gryffindor dorms next, and Nott just throws her a quick look before disappearing after them. Emma picks up her pen, discarded in the commotion.

In a daze, she sits on her bed. What did she get herself into?

"Neville's just amazing. He just knows how to use that room, you know, the Room of Requirement? After the Carrows took you, we went to him and Ginny and explained what happened, and then Neville just helped us hide all the stuff in that room. It was amazing." Hannah gives a dreamy sigh, no doubt reliving the events of the day before.

"Yes, yes, Longbottom is amazing," Susan turns to Emma again, whispering in the semi silence of the library. "But seriously though, what is this mess about? What's Nott doing?"

"I don't know," groans Emma, "he just said that and they believed him and...and I think it saved me from torture, you know?"

"Yeah but why...!"

"I don't know! Maybe he's- maybe he's nice!"

The look Susan gives her at that point reminds Emma of professor McGonnagall's death stare whenever Ron Weasley would say something particularly daft. And just like Ron Weasley with professor McGonnagall, Emma babbles on to try and save herself.

"Maybe he was worried he'd get in trouble, because I would have said he was in the common room with me, and he pretty much let me go... That must be it! He'd get in trouble for not stopping me!"

Susan nods slowly, much more inclined to believe this version of events.

"Still," she ponders, "that doesn't explain why he'd let you take all that stuff from his common room in the first place. Maybe he does fancy you, Emma. How did Parkinson and Zabini react when he said you two were together?"

"They both said there was no way, but..."

"But?"

"Zabini said that Nott did always fancy me... Something like that."

"That's what I'm worried about," Susan says. "I noticed him looking at you a few times before, since like third year. That's not good, Emma. His dad is Death Eater. Nott tortures kids. If he's into you, that's not something you wanna encourage."

"I'm not!" Barks Emma, remembering with horror how she'd stood on her tiptoes to put a kiss on his hollow cheek.

"Yeah but now she has to pretend to be his girlfriend," interjects Hannah. "Otherwise her defence falls through."

"He probably planned this, for all we know."

"Or he seized the opportunity," replies Hannah, in an uncanny display of perceptiveness. "If he's been fancying her since third year and never actually worked up the nerve to ask her out, this would be the perfect opportunity to make her be with him. She owes him, now. He is a Slytherin, after all."

"Emma!"

Ernie runs into their corner of the library, looking red and flustered.

"Nott is here," he shout-whispers, "he's looking for you. He went to the common room first and I sent him here, I had to take a secret passageway to beat him... He's here!"

Ernie disappears behind a bookshelf, leaving the three girls to stand there awkwardly, waiting for Theodore Nott to find them, which he does.

Standing there at the end of the aisle, looking sinister and stiff as ever, Theo Nott lets his dark eyes wander over the three of them before zeroing in on Emma.

"Please may I speak with you? Alone?"

When Hannah and Susan have effectively retreated out of earshot, Nott's somewhat stoic countenance slips a little bit. Emma looks everywhere but at him.

"Are you alright?" He asks her, taking her by surprise.

"Of course. I'm fine."

He nods, playing with the large ring on his major. A family heirloom, guesses Emma.

"They think Longbottom and that Weasley girl did it," he murmurs.

"Oh."

"Of course, they can't prove it."

"No." Emma feels her heart beat a wild rhythm. She has to ask. "So... What happens now?"

"Nothing, I suppose, they're stuck..."

"I mean," she flicks her finger in the space between the two of them, "what happens with us?"

"Oh, right," he looks away and down to his ring. "Well, I uh... I do believe we should continue to be together, lest our lie becomes obvious... If they were to know the truth, both of us would be in trouble. You for obvious reasons, and me, for helping you with it."

Why did you? She wants to ask, but cannot quite work up the courage. Her mouth opens then closes, and Nott must have misinterpreted this for an attempt at protesting, because he immediately launches into what sounds like a well rehearsed speech:

"It is in our best interest to keep this up. And, really, it could be beneficial. We have a quite a few subjects in common and could study together for our N.E.W.T.S, not to mention the fact that, in current times, and with your blood status, having a pure blooded friend in Slytherin is not a bad idea. I could put in a word for you with the Carrows, stop them from stealing your memories in muggle studies or having you practise the Unforgivables. I could make sure that other Slytherins stir clear of you. I would not request anything from you that you wouldn't wish to do, we could simply meet regularly and, obviously, not see anyone else, which, as I'm sure you will agree once you think about it, is not a very big price to pay for your safety. I've weighed the pros and the cons, and I do think that this is your best option."

He finishes his tirade and looks back up at her expectantly.

Despite herself, a chuckle bubbles out of Emma's throat, causing his eyebrows to lift up.

"That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard," she jokes.

Taken aback, he opens and closes his mouth a few times.

"And what's in it for you?"

"Well, I..." He adverts his gaze. "My father is having this great dinner for Christmas, and he has made it clear to me that he expects me to bring a girlfriend. I have failed to do so in the past, and he has started to doubt my...preferences. Men in my family are expected to pass on the family name, and he expects me to uphold that tradition. That I have yet to introduce him to a girlfriend has not gone unnoticed amongst our circle of acquaintances, and...well. You get the idea."

Emma frowns. Is he telling her he's gay?

"So you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend so your dad leaves you alone? Wouldn't he rather you dated someone like Pansy Parkinson?"

"I suppose he would, yes, but given the circumstances I was hoping that you'd..." he trails off.

"Right." Says Emma. "I suppose that's the least I can do, considering how you've helped me. I just hope I do ok. Thank you, you know...for helping me."

He nods curtly, then takes a few steps back. He looks back at her, looking like he's wondering whether to seal this with some form of physical contact (a kiss?), so Emma extends her hand to him.

"Deal."

He takes her hand in his and holds it for the briefest of moments before stalking off.

Emma's hand prickles as if stung by nettles.

Did she just agree to become Theo Nott's beard?


	3. Chapter 3: The DA

**Thank you so much for reading, and for the very kind reviews. I really appreciate you taking the time.**

 **Warning: in this chapter, some extremely offensive things are being said, and there is swearing. Fic rating is moving up to M because of it, just to be safe.**

She's not sure why, but Emma doesn't divulge her suspicions regarding Nott's sexual orientation. Perhaps because if said suspicions were founded, it would not be up to her to tell people about it. She's no doubt that a lot of people would love to know that kind of thing about the son of a Death Eater, but really, Emma is loyal, and if Nott is trusting her with that kind of information then she will not share it. Not that he's actually said anything, it was more of a...a feeling she got from the conversation.

To her great bewilderment, and mild horror, Nott has started approaching her in public. He has claimed the seat next to her in Transfiguration, Potions, Muggle Studies and Herbology, and after the initial shock she finds herself almost wishing he'd sit next to her in Charms, too. He's a very good student. He doesn't chat during lessons, past the initial greetings, and takes very neat, concise notes. He masters most spells quickly, his strongest subjects being Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Dark Arts. These so happen to be Emma's weakest subjects, and she quickly comes to realise that he had not been wrong when he'd suggested it may be good for them to work together towards their N.E.W.T.s. Her own stronger subjects are Herbology, Muggle Studies (not that this means anything anymore), and Care of Magical Creatures. Potions, now taken over by Horace Slughorn, has started to come a bit more naturally to her, though she regrets taking it up to N.E.W.T.s level.

Nott also takes Alchemy at the same time as she takes Ghoul Studies. All in all, they have Transfiguration, Charms, Muggle Studies, Potions, Dark Arts, and Herbology together.

"Thank you," she whispers begrudgingly as he helps her master yet another spell during Transfiguration class, about a fortnight after they have officially started 'dating'.

"You're welcome."

He smells nice, she realises, now that she's having to sit close to him so often. Some sort of clean, crisp aftershave or soap. With a start, she realises that it had been one of the smells she'd caught a whiff of when leaning over that cauldron of Amortentia back in sixth year. Not that that means anything, other than that she's attracted to clean, sharp smells, which she knew already.

He catches her trying to read off of his parchment and moves it slightly so she can catch up on McGonagall's instructions.

"Thank you," she grumbles again, offended by his thoughtfulness.

"You're welcome."

The lesson finishes, and Emma gathers her things slowly, annoyed to see that he's waiting patiently for her. Zabini and Parkinson throw them suspicious and irritated looks. Her own friends hang awkwardly around, unsure whether to walk with her or not.

"Herbology, next?" He says.

"Yeah."

Herbology had always been one of her favourite subjects, but now even this she has to share with the stern Slytherin. At least he doesn't take Care of Magical Creatures...

They head towards the greenhouses, and get their stations ready. Neville Longbottom takes that class too, and he's watching the two of them carefully. Emma sighs in despair. What's the DA going to think of her now? She wishes she could explain herself. Nott, unsurprisingly, manages to get the space to her right. This is the only subject where she is clearly more skilled than he is, and for once, the roles are reversed: she supports him and guides him through the lessons.

"Common room, next," she says emphatically, at the end of the lesson, her voice loud to cover the rain battering the greenhouse.

"I'll walk you back," he says.

Emma almost groans. Can't he take a hint?

"Miss Kettleburn, can I have a word?"

Emma has never loved professor Sprout, head of Hufflepuff house, as much as she does in this very instant.

Nott leaves, and Emma is left alone with the Herbology professor.

"Professor?"

"Miss Kettleburn...Emma." The small, round lady sits herself on a stool, and gestures for Emma to copy her. She sets a pair of keen eyes on her student. "It has come to my attention," she begins carefully, "that you may have started a close friendship with Theodore Nott. Is this true?"

Emma nods, heart in her throat.

"And... Are you aware of Mr Nott's circumstances?"

"His circumstances?"

"His parentage."

Is she aware that his dad is a Death Eater. Emma nods. Professor Sprout stares at her like she's trying to crack open her head by the power of her thoughts.

"And this does not...bother you?"

"Um..."

"Given your own parentage? Most of your immediate family are non magical, are they not?"

"Theo's not his dad," Emma whispers pitifully.

Professor Sprout nods slowly.

"No, indeed. Forgive me for asking, Emma, but in six years teaching you and Mr Nott I have never once before seen you so much as look in his direction. I do not mean to intrude, and I do not mean to pretend I can dictate who you choose to befriend, but I simply wish to... To make sure that you are aware of your actions, and that you..." Professor Sprout takes a sharp breath, and goes for the kill: "I want to make sure that you have not been somehow forced into this relationship."

Emma blushes violently.

"I'm fine, professor."

"You are?"

"I'm fine."

Emma adverts her gaze.

"Well... If ever you wish for help, let me know."

"Thank you, professor."

Emma rushes out of the greenhouse and bumps into someone. For a painful, panicked second, she thinks it is Nott, but then she recognises Hannah Abbott, her blond hair stuck to her face by the rain. She holding a gold coin in her hand.

"The DA wants to meet," she says, "tonight, in the Room of Requirement."

Just short of midnight, Ernie, Zacharias, Hannah, Susan and Emma leave the comfort of their common room and make their way slowly and carefully through Hogwarts, in search of the Room of Requirement.

Upon entering, they find most of the people who had joined in fifth year, minus one or two.

"I think that's all of us," says Ginny Weasley, throwing back her long red hair. "Thanks all for coming. Neville, Luna and I have decided to carry on the DA. If you're here, that means you are going to help us, whatever the cost, otherwise you need to leave now."

No one moves, and Ginny continues:

"Good. So, today, we're going to discuss and agree on what our goals are going to be for this year." She looks at Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom, who nod at her. "So basically, this year, as you all know, we have been cursed with the worst teachers in the wizarding world. The despicable Carrows. Our main goal, as DA, will be to make their life hell. Agreed?"

There are many enthusiastic nods around the room.

"Our second main goal, as DA," says Ginny, "will be to continue learning about Defense Against the Dark Arts, the actual subject we're supposed to be studying. Neville has managed to salvage some of the DADA books from the library, before the Carrows took everything away. We'll be using those." She gestures towards a pile of old books. "We will aim to meet at least once a week, and those sessions will be divided between planning our offensive against the Carrows, Snape and their clique, and practising defensive spells. The time of the meetings will change every time and will be communicated to you on the day. Agreed? Good. Now, before we get started, there is one more thing we need to discuss."

"Her," says Seamus Finnigan.

Startled, Emma looks around, only to realise that she is the one everyone is now staring at.

"W-what?"

"You're Nott's girlfriend," says Lavender Brown.

"I'm not... Well, I am, but it's not like that."

"You're his girlfriend but it's not like you're his girlfriend?"

"He's sick."

"What's wrong with you?"

Faced with the sudden onslaught, Emma loses her words.

"It's not like that," bravely says Hannah. "Emma's the one who went and got all our confiscated things back, your Pygmy Puff included, Ginny."

"Yeah it's cool and all, but it doesn't explain her dating a Death Eater!" Says Parvati Patil.

"Nott saw her," says Susan. "He saw her and didn't stop her, he helped her. When she got caught by the Carrows, they both lied and said they were together because they're boyfriend and girlfriend so no one would find out they were actually stealing all that stuff."

"Why would he do that?" Asks Ginny.

"To protect himself, probably," replies Hannah angrily.

"Or he might actually fancy her. Who cares anyway? She's not into him, she's only doing this so she doesn't get caught." Adds Susan.

"She's taking one for the team, really," argues Ernie.

"Why would he have helped her in the first place, if she wasn't actually his girlfriend?" Lavender again.

"Who cares-!"

Emma doesn't want to tell them about Nott's dad harassing him about a girlfriend - she feels like that's a secret Nott has entrusted in her.

"Maybe," Ginny says in a strong voice, "maybe he does fancy her. Or maybe they have been secretly together for the past year. Or maybe, he planed this, all this, so he could get close to her, and by extension, close to us. Maybe he's using her to find out about us."

"I won't tell him anything," whispers Emma, already knowing where this is heading.

"No you won't. Sorry, Ems, but I think we're going to have to ask you to hand your coin in. At least until we know we can trust you."

"But you can trust me! And I want to learn real magic, you can't just kick me out!"

"Just hand it in." Ginny opens her hand, waiting. "I'm not saying we won't have you at all, and I'm not saying you would willingly betray us. But you being close to him is dangerous for the DA, and he probably knows this."

"Any of you could reveal things," argues Emma desperately. "Any of you could get tortured. Just because we're faking a relationship..."

"When we fake something long enough, it often becomes the truth," says Luna Lovegood in her dreamy voice. "Just look at all these poor Chameleon Ghouls, who can't change back to their original form."

"I could try and get information for you," cries Emma. "I could use him to find stuff out!"

"Do, if you can," replies Ginny, calmly. "But hand in the coin."

Humiliated, Emma places her DA coin in Ginny Weasley's open palm.

"Can I at least have a book to learn with?"

"One book," concedes Ginny. "And like I said, this isn't necessarily permanent. Just... We need to think about this."

Another two weeks pass, and Emma's mood goes from bad to worse. Hannah and Susan disappear late at night to meetings she isn't allowed to attend. Theo Nott persists on sitting next to her in most subjects, and members of the DA throw her either suspicious or openly disapproving looks wherever she goes. To make matters worse, some Slytherins have actually started being civil to her, which does not help restore her image to the other three houses.

To top it all up, professor Slughorn accosts her one day at the end of Potions, a letter in his hand.

"Ah! Emma!" He waves his finger at her in playful disapproval. "You never said you were related to Silvanus Kettleburn, ex teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, and Bathsheba Kettleburn, the famous, internationally renowned Curse-Breaker? Yes, yes, I know Bathsheba... Well, I know of her, more exactly, but who doesn't? What an extraordinary witch! Gringotts are lucky to have her... She really understands goblins, does Bathsheba! Now, Bathsheba has been so kind as to write me a letter, otherwise I would never have known her granddaughter was one of my students! You must come to one of my little parties, Emma, you must. I am counting on you!"

Great, thinks Emma. Now even the head of Slytherin likes her. Trust her horrendous grandmother to put in a word for her and get her invited to sodding brunch.

Now positively furious, Emma stamps her way to the Muggle Studies classroom. She is two minutes late, but Alecto Carrow does not comment on it. Any other Hufflepuff student would have been skinned alive. She ignores the empty chair next to Nott and throws herself onto the seat next to Susan.

"What's this?" She barks at the piece of newspaper in front of her.

"Millicent Bulstrode is doing a presentation about crime in the muggle world," whispers Susan, eyeing her carefully. "You ok?"

"Fine."

Her bit of newspaper reads: "REVEALED: SERIAL PEDOPHILE RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN 50 CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES"

"Bones," calls Millicent, making Susan jump. "What does your article say?"

"It says: 'Body of missing 14 years old Olivia found decapitated in river Thames'."

"Mine says: 'two pizzas for the price of one'," whispers Neville Longbottom, making the back of the class chuckle. "Oh wait no, that's just an add."

"Pansy," continues Millicent, unaware. "What does yours say?"

"It says 'father charged with murder of son, 5, and daughter, 7'," reads Pansy.

"Good, good," smiles professor Carrow, completely inappropriately.

"When it comes to crime, the muggle male is known for his sexual depravity and bestial behaviour, yet another reason why we must strive to maintain purity of blood." Says Millicent, reading off of her parchment. "Muggles cannot resist their deviant sexual instincts, and it is extremely common that a father will wish to either mount or murder his own offspring. This is true for any kind of muggle settlement, but particularly for those places called 'estates'..." At this, Millicent holds up a picture of the very estate Emma has grown up in.

These declarations are met with shocked and indignant silence, though no one interrupts. Emma gapes at Millicent.

The lie is so flagrant, so outrageous, so downright offensive, so goddamn personal, that, for the first time ever, she cracks and breaks.

"That's just completely untrue."

Millicent Bulstrode blinks at her.

"What did you say?"

"I said, that's just completely untrue."

Alecto Carrow narrows her porcine eyes.

"Miss Kettleburn is offended," comments the professor with faked amiability. "Your father, miss Kettleburn, despite being a Squib, was raised by Wizards, and therefore he may have been taught some decency. Such is not the case for the overwhelming majority of muggle men..."

"That is a gross generalisation-"

"You cannot deny, though," says Millicent, "that all of these article are extracts from muggle newspapers. Two of the incidents we are reading about have in fact occurred in your own 'estate'..."

"Just because things like this are documented more in the muggle world doesn't mean that they're not happening in the wizarding world," replies Emma, barely registering Susan's elbow as it collides with her ribs. "There are what, two different newspapers around? And next to zero regulation as to what they can publish?"

"Shut up," whispers Susan.

"Blood purity," continues Millicent forcefully, deciding to ignore the interruption, "is the key to eradicating such nasty behaviours. Muggles have no self control and their legacy must be drowned out-"

"Bullshit."

"Detention, Kettleburn," sneers Alecto.

"Detention for what? Offering a different point of view? Millicent, what you call blood purity is actually really called inbreeding, and it is forbidden in muggle society, because everyone knows that all that does is encourage bad genes to come up again and again, worse and worse each time-"

"Shut up!" Cries Millicent.

"No, you SHUT UP!" Roars Emma, past the point of no return. "You stand there, ignorant as fuck, talking bullshit-"

Alecto's angry sputters do little to hide the gasps echoing around her.

"OUT!" She screams, pointing her wand at Emma.

Emma stands, hearing her chair fall behind her. Turning around, she sees that Vincent Crabbe has made his way towards her, as if to escort her out of the room, followed by Nott, who's got one hand on Crabbe's arm and his wand at the ready. The sight makes Emma forget to preserve the last remnants of invisibility and anonymity she had carefully been cultivating over the years.

"What do you think you're doing, dickhead?" She barks, shoving Crabbe with all her might.

Startled, he stumbles back a few steps and into a table, searching for his wand, and Emma all but runs out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4 : A Shift in Friendships

**Thank you so much for reading, and thank you especially to the kind souls leaving a nice review, they make me all fuzzy inside :)**

 **Still owning nothing, please enjoy!**

Back in fifth year, Muggle Studies had been Emma's chance to shine. She was not particularly gifted, but her knowledge in that class was clearly higher than anyone else's.

Professor Burbage used to draw on Emma's experiences a lot to teach the class about muggle customs and culture. One day, as they discussed cooking without magic, Emma had innocently said that she preferred it to cooking with magic, because it felt almost cleansing to have a break from it.

"Magic is not dirty," had said an angry voice at the back.

It was Theodore Nott, and that was the only time he'd ever spoken to her.

"I'm not saying that," Emma had replied. "I just meant that sometimes it feels good to do things properly, and take the time, rather than jump to shortcuts."

"Magic does things properly," replied Nott, glaring at her.

"I know that-that's not what I meant!"

"You just don't know what you're talking about."

"Neither do you! You think muggles are inferior-"

Professor Burbage had stopped them there, and that had been the one and only exchange she had ever had with Theodore Nott, prior to entering his common room and kissing him on the cheek whilst under the influence of Felix Felicis.

"You will complete four weeks of detention, miss Kettleburn," says Snape.

"Yes, sir."

"Detention will consist of whatever professor Carrow deems suitable punishment."

"Yes, sir."

"You will apologise to Miss Bulstrode whom you have publicly insulted, and to Mr Crabbe, whom you have assaulted."

"Yes, sir."

"And should there be one more incident from you from now until the end of the year, you will be permanently expelled. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are fortunate to have friends such as Theodore Nott, miss Kettleburn. Professor Carrow holds his word in high esteem, and I believe your punishment will reflect this."

"Yes, sir."

"Leave."

Following the incident in Muggle Studies, Emma now has to complete a six foot long essay on the topic of "The Natural Bestiality of Muggles", which she is due to read out to the class at the end of her four weeks of detentions. She isn't tortured, however, which is probably what Snape was alluding to when he said that she was fortunate to have a friend in Theodore Nott. Half of her still thinks she might have dreamed everything, and that that swearing, aggressive girl having a go at Millicent and Crabbe was never actually her.

She doesn't get her DA coin back, but when she passes Neville and Ginny in the corridors, they give her an appreciative nod. Luna Lovegood beams at her.

Apologising to Millicent and Crabbe is painful, but Emma manages to grit it out. Nott stands near her as she does.

"It's just words," he whispers to her moments before, "just noise and breath. It means nothing, it's a means to an end."

To her surprise, this gives her the strenght she needs to go through with it.

When it's over, and Emma is walking to the library to work on her endless list of essays, Nott joins her silently. They walk side by side, him keeping up with her fast pace.

"That was my estate," she tells Nott out of nowhere. "That picture Millicent showed. It's where I'm from."

"She probably didn't know," he tells her after a short pause. Emma realises that this is the first time she's spoken to him in days. "Sit next to me," he abruptly adds. "In Muggle Studies. Carrow will forget about you, and you can always hit me whenever they say something that makes you angry."

Startled, Emma looks up at him. He's got a hint of a smirk at the corner of his thin lips, and returns her gaze.

"Thanks."

It's not a blush that's creeping along her cheekbones. Ever since she's convinced herself that he is gay, and therefore could not possibly be interested in her that way, it has been making it significantly easier to relax around him, though his ideologies are still a great barrier to any kind of genuine friendship.

She avoids looking at him the rest of the way, and settles her bag on a table at the back of the library.

"Should we have a look at the Transfiguration essay?" He asks, sitting himself at her table. "Or do you want to do Charms first?"

Emma sighs, contemplating which of the two choices is the least unbearable, when two additional Slytherin students appear behind Nott.

The first one is a tall, blond girl called Daphne Greengrass and known as something of a stunner in their year. The other one has brown hair and blue eyes, and Emma knows she's in her year, but has never bothered to learn her name. Something quite common... Is it... Something Davis?

"Hi, Theo," says Daphne, setting a hand on the back of his chair. She throws a pointed look at Emma but doesn't really greet her.

"Daphne. Tracey."

Tracey! Emma thinks with triumph. Tracey Davis, that's it. Not a very witchy name. Even Kettleburn sounds more authentic.

"You're still with her, then?"

Emma blinks. Pardon?

"As you can see."

"It's just that with what she's done to Vincent and Millicent..."

"Did you need anything, Daphne?"

Daphne withdraws her hand from Nott's chair and crosses her arms.

"Actually, yes, professor Snape wants to see you."

"Now?"

"Now."

Conflicted, Nott looks over at Emma who shakes her head.

"If you need to go, you need to go." He's hesitating, maybe wondering if the Greengrass girl hasn't made the whole thing up. Emma would quite like a break from him, though. "We've got Dark Arts this afternoon, right? I'll see you then."

It's probably for show, and it definitely doesn't mean a thing, but he stands and leans over and places a very quick, feather like little kiss at the side of her face before leaving with Daphne. Emma stares after them in a daze.

"Trace?"

Emma looks up to see that Tracey Davis is still there.

"I'll catch you up," replies Tracey.

The two girls look at each other awkwardly. Emma knows next to nothing about Tracey, apart from the fact that she's a Slytherin and hangs out with Parkinson and Greengrass.

"You're half blood, right?" Asks Tracey.

"I guess so."

"Me too."

Emma's eyebrows shoot up.

"My dad is muggle born. All his side of the family are muggles." The Slytherin throws a look over her shoulder, then leans in to whisper: "I just wanted to say that I also think some of the stuff we learn in Muggle Studies is complete rubbish. My grand parents are a bit weirded out by magic, but they're not animals. They're very nice people, in fact. So, yeah. Just thought I'd let you know you're not the only one, and uh... Not all Slytherins believe what the Carrows say."

Tracey's lips twitch in what tries to be a smile, then she begins to move away.

"Tracey? You uh... You take Ghoul Studies, right?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to work together on that project?"

"Sure."

"Cool."

In the great hall, Emma finally gets to spend some time away from any Slytherins and amongst her own house. Unfortunately, this does not turn out to be the respite she so desperately needs, because what she finds instead of welcoming friends is a bunch of very suspicious and resentful Hufflepuffs.

"Is that all Snape said?"

"You've got four weeks detention?"

"No Crucio?"

"You've literally just got to write an essay, after that massive scene?"

"I have to read it in front of everybody," tries Emma. "It's humiliating."

"Boohoo."

Emma is about to have a go at Susan for that comment, but Hannah unwittingly saves the day.

"Do you think they're together?"

"Who?" Asks Emma, turning her back on Susan and Ernie.

"Neville and Ginny."

Emma follows her friend's gaze over to the Gryffindor table, where Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley are engaged in conspiratorial whispers.

"No," says Emma. "She's Harry Potter's girlfriend."

"Harry's not here."

"Still, she seemed pretty crazy about him."

"Do you think he's with Luna, then?"

"I doubt it."

Luna Lovegood has never struck Emma as the kind of person who would engage in romantic relationships. She has always seemed too...distracted.

"They're probably all just hanging out together a lot this year, with all the DA stuff."

"No need to sound so bitter, Ems," says Susan.

"Have you got something to tell me?"

"Ladies," interjects Ernie. "Let's not lose sight of who the real enemy is, shall we?"

"I'm not losing sight," says Susan, "I'm not the one who's cosying up to Slytherins in the library."

"Do I actually need to remind you that Nott and I-"

"I'm not talking about Nott. I'm talking about Tracey Davis. Padma heard you two having a nice chat in the library, all friendly..."

"We were saying that we're both half bloods," Emma retorts, "she was saying she agrees with me that Muggle Studies is a load of-"

"That's not what Padma heard. Padma says you two were talking about some project you're working on together, for Ghoul Studies." She lifts an eyebrow. "Well?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything! Padma even said that Nott kissed you, Ems! I mean, what's next, braiding Parkinson's hair?"

"It was a half second peck on the cheek to shut Daphne Greengrass up! And so what if I'm on alright terms with Tracey Davis? Not all Slytherins are complete arseholes."

"You'll never get back into the DA, at this rate." Huffs Susan.

"The reason why I'm in this sodding mess in the first place is because of your stupid magazines-"

"Ladies!" Ernie stops them forcefully. "Enough!"

"I'm going to Dark Arts," Emma declares, standing up.

"I'm sure Nott's saved you a chair," calls Susan. "Or if not, you can always sit with your great friend Tracey Davis."

"Sod off, Susan."

"Or what? Are you going to muggle-fight me like you did Crabbe?"

"Do you want to find out?!"

"Merlin's tits, what is even going on? Just shut up, both of you!" Shouts Hannah. "I'm leaving. You're both pathetic."

Somewhat pacified, Emma makes her way to Amycus Carrow's classroom.

She sits next to Nott, and stiffly returns the little smile Tracey Davis gives her from the row in front of hers.

Four third year students are lined up at the front of the room, and Amycus Carrow 's pervy smile says it all. He first asks Neville to perform the Cruciatus curse on the younger kids, and when Neville refuses, Amycus whips his wand and a deep gash appears along Neville's cheek, making the whole class gasp in shock. Even Neville appears speechless. Amycus sends Neville to the hospital wing, and with their hero away and wounded, the rest of the class prepares to endure this lesson like one would get through a particularly vicious nightmare.

"Bones." Orders Carrow.

Shaking, Susan prepares to stand up, when Theodore Nott jumps to his feet next to Emma and walks to the front of the room.

"I'll do it, professor, or this will take all day."

He stands confidently in front of everyone, raises his wand.

"Crucio!"

The next hour goes in a blur. Everyone is almost hypnotised, staring at the horror in front, too cowardly to stop it. Emma watches Theo. There's nothing but focus on his face. When it's over, he lowers his arm, and turns to her. Their eyes meet from across the room, and there's something in his look, something like...victory? Or a question? It's hard to see through her tears and Emma blinks away, staring at her hands instead.

"He did it for her, I bet," whispers a voice behind her. It's Parkinson, talking to Zabini. "So her precious little blood traitor friend wouldn't have to do it. I'm sure that's why."

Theo walks back to their table and sits down. From the corner of her eyes, Emma can see the dark circles that have appeared under his eyes, and the light sheen of sweat at the top of his forehead. He's a bit out of breath. His fist, on the table, is shaking slightly. Emma's hand moves of its own accord and goes to rest against his.

At that moment, that's the best she can do.


End file.
